Tag: Dane Brugler

Chargers 2017 draft class bookended as one of the best in NFL

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is quite high on the Los Angeles Chargers’ 2017 draft class.

It’s always a fun exercise to revisit previous draft classes by using on-field production in the player’s professional careers to critique how general managers did with their selections and undrafted free agent signings.

That’s exactly what The Athletic’s Dane Brugler did, ranking each NFL team’s 2017 draft classes. With three seasons of play under their belts, he was able to accurately judge the hauls.

For the Chargers, they had one of the better classes among the rest of the league, finishing No. 10 overall.

To recap, here’s a look at GM Tom Telesco’s haul:

Round 1, (No. 7 overall) Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

Round 2, (No. 38) Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky

Round 3, (No. 71), Dan Feeney, G, Indiana

Round 4, (No. 113) Rayshawn Jenkins, S, Miami

Round 5, (No. 151) Desmond King, S, Iowa

Round 6, (No. 190) Sam Tevi, OT, Utah

Round 7, (No. 225) Isaac Rochell, DT, Notre Dame

Brugler highlighted the players that are still on the team, and it just so happens that Los Angeles is the only squad that has managed to retain each one of their picks from that draft.

Wide receiver Mike Williams has turned into a solid vertical threat, leading the league league in yards per catch in 2019. Williams had his fifth-year option picked up earlier this offseason.

Guard Forrest Lamp entered the league as one of the best linemen from that class. However, injuries over the past few seasons have hampered him from reaching his full potential.

Guard Dan Feeney has been a starter since his rookie season. After facing some bumps in Year 1, Feeney has improved as years have gone on. He has made 41 of 46 possible starts.

Rayshawn Jenkins has taken over as the starter at free safety after beginning his career as a strong safety. There are still deficiencies to Jenkins’ game, but he led the team in interceptions last season (3) and the coaching staff covets him.

Cornerback Desmond King has proven to be a great value pick as the impactful defender has been stout in both coverage and against the run. While he may have lost his starting job as the starting slot corner with the signing of Chris Harris Jr., King could still contribute in the dime linebacker role.

Offensive tackle Sam Tevi was drafted to serve as a swing tackle, but injuries to other players forced him into the starting lineup. He hasn’t performed well in each of his three seasons, but the coaching staff is hopeful that new offensive line coach James Campen will help improve his game.

Defensive end Isaac Rochell has been a key contributor as a rotational pass-rusher, playing in all 16 games the last two seasons and posting seven sacks and 46 tackles in his career.

2017 was also significant because it marked the year that running back Austin Ekeler was signed as an undrafted free agent. Brugler cites Ekeler as the second-best pass-catching back behind Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey. Ekeler finished 2019 with 92 catches for 993 receiving yards and eight scores.

Saints go back to Ohio State in Dane Brugler’s 2021 NFL mock draft

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his first 2021 NFL mock draft which linked the New Orleans Saints to Ohio State Buckeyes WR Chris Olave

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It’s far too early to predict which prospects the New Orleans Saints will pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. This year’s rookies haven’t even signed their contracts yet. But that’s not going to stop us from putting together a watch list of names to remember when the college football season eventually kicks off.

That’s the approach taken by Dane Brugler for The Athletic, who connected the Saints to a wide receiver he’s very excited about: Ohio State Buckeyes junior Chris Olave. Here’s what Brugler had to say:

The Saints have a pretty good track record with Ohio State players, especially at wide receiver. Olave is leaner than ideal, but his route running skills and ball skills are NFL ready, and whenever the Buckeyes needed a big play, it was usually Olave making it happen.

Annual All-Pro wideout and Buckeyes alum Michael Thomas would certainly love that move, and it would make sense with veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders having signed only a two-year deal. The Saints could use a long-term fix in the receiving corps, even if Drew Brees isn’t around to benefit from it.

Olave, listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, broke out last season with 48 receptions for 840 yards and a dozen touchdown grabs. While he trailed teammate K.J. Hill (a seventh-round pickup by the Los Angeles Chargers this year) by nine catches for the team lead, Olave gained 204 more yards through the air, leading the Buckeyes in both receiving yards and touchdown catches.

Here are five other prospects connected to the Saints in way-too-soon 2021 mock drafts:

  • CB Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Mukuamu is a lanky prospect with ball skills. He intercepted four passes and totaled nine passes defensed as a sophomore, and is one of the few Gamecocks starters returning from last year on defense.
  • QB Jamie Newman, Georgia. A transfer expected to replace Jake Fromm, Newman has good size (listed at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds) and athleticism. He threw for 2,868 yards and gained 574 yards on the ground in his junior year at Wake Forest, but should exceed those numbers thanks to a strong Bulldogs supporting cast.
  • RB Travis Etienne, Clemson. Etienne returned to school for his senior year, driven to seek payback after Clemson’s loss to the LSU Tigers in the national title game. Monstrously productive, the Louisiana native has already scored 62 combined touchdowns in just 43 games played.
  • LB Dylan Moses, Alabama. Moses lost his junior year to a torn ACL in preseason, and he’s looking to bounce back in a big way. The next great Crimson Tide linebacker prospect has all the ability in the world, he just needs to prove he can remain healthy.
  • WR Devonta Smith, Alabama. Smith outplayed both Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, who were each drafted in the first round last week. He should be even more dominant in 2020 with less-established options around to take touches from him.

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Mock draft watch: Breaking down The Athletic’s 7-round haul for the Lions

There are selections all over the map from Dane Brugler in his 7-rounder

Dane Brugler from The Athletic is one of the most respected voices in the NFL draft media, and for good reason. His work is always a must-read for his independent-minded analysis and connections throughout the NFL front offices.

Brugler released his 7-round mock draft via The Athletic this week, and it’s an interesting look at what the Detroit Lions might do in next week’s 2020 NFL Draft.

The Lions’ haul from Brugler strikes a lot of needs but also includes some new names and positions (a punter?!?) across the seven rounds.

1 (3) CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
2 (35) RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
3 (67) DT Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
3 (85) OT Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
4 (109) OG Jonah Jackson, Ohio State
5 (149) WR Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
5 (166) QB Anthony Gordon, Washington State
6 (182) PT Braden Mann, Texas A&M
7 (235) LB Cale Garrett, Missouri

Okudah is a chalk pick with Chase Young off the board.

“The Lions are hoping a team trades up to No. 2 for a quarterback so Chase Young falls in their laps, but if that doesn’t happen (and they don’t receive a trade offer to move back), they will be just fine with his Ohio State teammate,” Brugler writes.

Taylor in the second round is interesting. It’s generally higher than most pundits predict the Lions to tab a running back, but his talent certainly merits Taylor’s inclusion in that range.

The lines get augmented in the third and fourth rounds. Madubuike in the third round would be a wonderful outcome for the Lions, while Tega Wanogho could emerge as a starting tackle in 2021.

A punter in the sixth round after a developmental project QB in the fifth doesn’t move the needle much. Based on my watching, Gordon isn’t a better option than David Blough in the No. 3 QB role. But as Lions fans know well, there’s at least one pick every year that produces winces when the team actually makes its own selections.

 

Re-drafting a seven-round 2020 mock draft for the Saints

Dane Brugler of The Athletic put together a lengthy seven-round mock draft of the 2020 NFL Draft, so we redid his New Orleans Saints picks.

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Let’s start this off with a round of applause for The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who put together a comprehensive seven-round mock-up of the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s difficult enough to build a mock draft for just one team, much less all 32. Here’s who Brugler ended up connecting with the New Orleans Saints:

  • Round 1, Pick 24: LB Patrick Queen, LSU
  • Round 3, Pick 88: WR Van Jefferson, Florida
  • Round 4, Pick 130: CB Troy Pride Jr., Notre Dame
  • Round 5, Pick: 169 DT Larrell Murchison, N.C. State
  • Round 6, Pick 203: RB Raymond Calais, Louisiana

However, this gave us a great opportunity to try out a re-draft, making our own choices at each of the Saints draft picks. While we left the rest of Brugler’s mock draft intact, here are the prospects we ended up selecting for the Saints:

  • Round 1, Pick 24: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
  • Round 3, Pick 88: LB Malik Harrison, Ohio State
  • Round 4, Pick 130: CB Michael Ojemudia, Iowa
  • Round 5, Pick: 169: DT Larrell Murchison, N.C. State
  • Round 6, Pick 203: T/G Tremayne Anchrum, Clemson

While Queen would be a huge addition for the Saints defense, we have Jefferson rated higher on the big board and feel he’s more of a sure thing as far as his NFL projection. It took Queen some time to climb the Tigers depth chart and there are still some warts to his game, whereas Jefferson played in a very similar offense and could slot into the same role in New Orleans. Linebacker is definitely a bigger need than receiver after the opening waves of free agency, but we’re comfortable bringing in Jefferson to overload Drew Brees with weapons and study under Emmanuel Sanders for the next two years.

While this year’s draft class isn’t as deep at linebacker as it is at receiver, we were happy to pick Harrison out of Ohio State in the third round. He’s a big, heady defender who should compete right away with Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso to start at either middle linebacker or on the strong side. He moves well (especially for someone his size, at 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds) and could also help out on special teams. This is the sort of smart, good-value pick the Saints have been known for recently.

As for the remaining selections: Ojemudia was a better fit for the Saints from a height-weight-speed perspective than Pride, thanks to his wider wingspan (nearly 78 inches against Pride’s 74 inches) and greater collegiate experience (appearing in 51 games against Pride’s 45). This decision will probably be a push in most war rooms, but we went with Ojemudia based off the types of players the Saints have shown interest in before.

We were in agreement with Brugler on Murchison, a mid-round interior lineman who spearheaded the Wolfpack defense in his senior year. The team captain also led N.C. State in both tackles for loss (12) and sacks (7) last season, and should bolster the Saints defensive line while Sheldon Rankins continues to recover from his latest lower-leg injury. Murchison was the best prospect available here.

And now we’ll close out with Anchrum, a three-year starter at right tackle for Clemson who also earned team captain recognition in 2019. He might lack the length teams covet to remain at tackle in the NFL but his aggressive style of play and well-conditioned body should help him execute blocks on the move. He could be a candidate to compete for Larry Warford’s job if the Saints move on from him next offseason, which is maybe the best you can hope for out of a sixth-round pick.

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Breaking down Chargers’ picks in Dane Brugler’s latest 3-round mock draft

Dane Brugler upgrades the offensive side of the ball for the Los Angeles Chargers in his latest three-round mock draft.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his new three-round mock draft on Wednesday.

Let’s break down what one of the highly touted draft analysts is thinking for Los Angeles in the 2020 NFL Draft after the Combine and right before free agency kicks off.

Round 1, No. 6, QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

Addressing the most important position on the football field sits atop of the priority list for the Chargers this offseason.

While bringing in a proven veteran like Tom Brady is a possibility, I believe the team wants to roll with Tyrod Taylor as the starter and bridge to whichever rookie quarterback is drafted. In this case, Brugler mocks Tagovailoa to Los Angeles.

Even though rolling the dice on Tua – who has durability concerns – could be a gamble, it’s a risk worth taking, especially if all the medicals check out. If he remains healthy, the Chargers could have a quarterback that could produce positive results on a yearly basis.

Tua has an excellent feel for the game, thriving with his football intelligence, instincts, processing skills and vision where he’s one of the best in this class. He’s accurate and is capable of making all the throws, inside or outside the structure.

Here is what Brugler said about mocking Tagovailoa to the Bolts:

Tagovailoa is the wild card of the draft. Talking to teams in Indianapolis, they are taking a cautious approach, but until they can see him throw on April 9, it is anyone’s guess how high he will be drafted. With the Chargers moving on from Philip Rivers, their quarterback situation is obviously in flux.

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Saints pick a safety in Dane Brugler’s updated mock draft

The New Orleans Saints invested early in their secondary but waited on help at wide receiver in Dane Brugler’s latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

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The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and everyone is updated their mock drafts. We took a shot at our own take earlier this week, and the latest mock-up comes from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, one of the most accurate experts in the business. Brugler projects the Saints to select Alabama Crimson Tide prospect Xavier McKinney, one of the best safeties in this year’s draft class. But he only sees that happening with a few important caveats:

If Vonn Bell leaves in free agency and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson stays in a nickel role, safety becomes a question mark for the Saints. McKinney will have spacing issues in coverage, but he limits mental mistakes, especially vs. the run as a downhill tackler.

McKinney measured out as a marginal athlete at the combine, timing the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds at 6-foot-0, 201 pounds. His best results came in the jumps, leaping 36 inches vertically and 122 inches broad, both good-but-not-great marks.

However, freakish athleticism isn’t really McKinney’s best bid for the NFL. He’s regarded as a heady player who is quick to learn from his errors, and is difficult to fool with complicated passing concepts. He was disruptive in two years as a starter at Alabama, creating plenty of splash plays. He was credited with 169 combined tackles (104 solo, 11.5 for loss of yards), 6 sacks, 15 passes defensed (5 interceptions), and 6 fumbles forced (1 recovered) in his final 28 games. That would go a long way towards replacing Vonn Bell’s impact plays.

Later on in the third round, Brugler connected the Saints to Liberty wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden. Gandy-Golden was the 13th wide receiver to be selected in the top three rounds in Brugler’s mock draft, ahead of UCF’s Gabriel Davis, South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards, and Florida’s Van Jefferson.

Gandy-Golden is a huge target (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) who lacked speed and flexibility in athletic testing at the combine, performing best in the broad jump (127 inches). He still starred at Liberty with 150 receptions for 2,433 yards and 20 touchdown grabs — in just 24 games over two years. The jump in quality of competition from Liberty’s schedule to the NFL would be tremendous, but there might not be many better options if the Saints wait so long to address the position.

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So Defensive: 3-round Athletic mock has a theme for Cowboys

Dane Brugler of The Athletic sees Dallas shoring up 2019’s underachieving defense with a trio of collegiate stars in April’s NFL Draft.

Bolstering the secondary is the primary concern for many Cowboys fans this offseason. Whether it’s finding an improbable way to retain Byron Jones, courting a free agent veteran, making a splashy trade, looking to the college ranks in April’s draft, or piecing together a combo platter of those strategies, it’s no secret that the team needs DB help ASAP.

Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft for The Athletic (pay wall) has the club snagging one of the heroes of last week’s Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and using their first-round selection on a dazzling athlete who could flourish at the pro level. And his projections of the first three rounds has the team staying on the defensive side of the ball as they try to patch up one of 2019’s most disappointing units.

Round 1: C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson “has a chance to be drafted in the top 10, so [the Cowboys’ 17th pick] might be the latest he comes off the board,” Brugler writes in The Athletic. “With Byron Jones destined to reach free agency, cornerback shoots near the top of Dallas’s draft needs. Henderson needs to be a better playmaker at the catch point, but he is a plus athlete with the size to blanket receivers.”

Henderson impressed during Day Four of the combine with a 40-yard dash time that was second-best at his position. His bench press, vertical jump, and broad jump numbers were all Top-10.

The junior was always seen as a first-day draft selection; his weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium only improved his draft stock. Many mocks project Henderson to be gone within the first 15 picks, so if he’s available to the Cowboys at 17, Brugler’s pick seems like a no-brainer.

The only knock on Henderson seems to be his tackling ability, but it’s probably not enough of a concern that Dallas wouldn’t jump at the chance to bring him aboard.

Brugler has Henderson being the second corner off the board, after Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah, mocked to go seventh overall to Carolina. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons (Clemson), defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn), wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma), wideout Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), and defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (South Carolina) are all taken prior to Dallas’s pick in the Brugler mock. All are considered to be on a possible watch list for the Cowboys, as is Alabama safety Xavier McKinney. Brugler has McKinney going to the Saints with the 24th pick.

Round 2: Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M

In the second round, Brugler likes Justin Madubuike falling to Dallas at 51st. The defensive tackle from Texas A&M tallied 11 sacks over the past two seasons and worked under Maurice Linguist, who’s now on the Cowboys defensive coaching staff.

Mike McCarthy has a history of drafting defensive tackles highly, and Madubuike has made it clear he would love to play for the NFL team he grew up rooting for. “At 6-foot-2, 293 pounds,” writes The Draft Network’s Jonah Tuls, “Madubuike fits that mold of the undersized, quick one-gap penetrator in the middle.”

Round 3: Malik Harrison, LB, Ohio State

With so much attention on defensive teammates Chase Young and Jeffrey Okudah, the Buckeyes’ 6-foot-3-inch linebacker is sitting slightly off the radar. But Brugler has the Cowboys pouncing on him with the 82nd overall pick. Current Dallas linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch can provide a dominant tandem, but the position could still use quality depth, especially with the question mark that is Sean Lee.

Harrison played in 42 games over his four years at Ohio State. He recorded 55 solo tackles as a junior and 49 in his senior season. In Indianapolis last weekend, he put up the best three-cone drill score at his position and ran the second-fastest 40 of any linebacker his size or heavier.

Defense wins championships, the saying goes. With those three picks in the first three rounds of the 2020 Draft, Cowboys Nation would likely feel pretty good about getting closer to a sixth Lombardi Trophy coming home to Dallas.

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